741 
demonstrations of the value of access controls and would help lead to adoption 
of such measures in other, more difficult, fisheries. 
The opportunities exist in the underdeveloped or newly developing fisheries. 
These, as pointed out by the Commission, ‘‘would present relatively few practical 
problems.” (Panel Report, pp. VII-67-68) Moreover, they could be made very 
attractive to the participants by guaranteeing them freedom from congestion 
and wasteful competition, and providing them a share of the economic rent that 
would be produced. 
Three different situations might provide the opportunities. The first would be 
the discovery of a new source of a fish species for which there is a recognized 
demand. The second would be the development of a market for a species that is 
presently underutilized. And ‘a third would be a significant change in the condi- 
tions of supply; ie, a Major innovation in gear or, perhaps, a relaxation of an 
institutional impediment. Some examples of such situations would include scal- 
lops off the southeastern United States; tanner crabs in the Bering Sea; the 
use of hake or other species for a fish protein concentrate; “ the removal of the 
impediments to an anchovy fishery off California ; and others. 
The opportunities would be limited to those stocks that are not utilized by the 
vessels of other nations, for it would be futile to limit U.S. access if other nations 
have no such rescraints. 
The choice of a newly developing fishery would not obviate all of the difficulties 
of establishing access controls. There would still remain the problems of deter- 
mining the number of licenses, the kind of vessel or amount of share to be li- 
censed, the method of allocating licenses (‘‘first come-first served’ or auction), 
the amount of payment for the property right that is acquired, etc. But these 
difficulties would attend any scheme for the limitation of access. 
The Commission’s recommendations to the intervention of Federal authority 
on stocks that are already depleted is entirely appropriate and relevant to most | 
of the situations that exist today. However, I would recommend that the Fed- 
eral Government also be granted authority to institute controls on access in those 
Situations where vested interests have not yet become significant and where the 
chances of estaviishing such controls without hardships to the participants are 
one st 
p= V~-k 
SUMMARY 
In summary, I would like to add my emphasis to that of the Commission’s on 
the importance of economic efficiency as a goal for fisheries management. I fully 
concur in the Commission’s analysis and it’s conclusion that controls on access to 
fisheries are absolutely necessary for the rehabilitation of domestic fisheries. The 
Commission’s recommendation that the Federal Government be given statutory 
authority to intervene in certain situations is vital, even though it is to be 
hoped that such intervention will not be necessary. And finally, I suggest that 
certain newly developing fisheries may provide the best opportunities for initiat- 
ing access controls and the adoption of rationalized fisheries management. 
Mr. Lennon. Mr. Keith. 
Mr. Kerrn. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 
_ It is very helpful, I think, to have someone, particularly an author- 
ity, as you obviously are, concentrate his interest and effort on one 
segment of this report. It is particularly helpful to me, representing 
as I do a fishing port, New Bedford. As you probably know New 
Bedford tends to unload its short lobsters in Rhode Island because 
of the difference in rules. 
Where is your home port ? 
Dr. Curistry. That is Washington, D.C. 
Mr. Kerrn. I think it highlights the need for uniform legislation 
for fisheries, at least as far as lobsters are concerned. 
JT have made a specific suggestion for such a development in a paper entitled, ‘“Protein 
Concentrate and a Rationalized Fishery,” in Earle O. Heady, ed., Alternatives for Balancing 
World Food Production and Needs (Ames, Iowa: The Iowa State University Press, 1967). 
I suggested that the Federal Government might guarantee to buy fish for its FPC plants pro- 
vided that the States would limit access to its fisheries. This would provide an incentive 
for drawing off the excess fishermen in the traditional fisheries. 
